World of Sport

Villas-Boas related to British military heroes

Chelsea's new manager Andre Villas-Boas is related to some famous British military leaders, it has been revealed.

The 33-year-old Portuguese man once joked: "I have a big nose, I have red hair and I love wine. So I have a lot of English roots," but there is some truth behind his jest according to both the Sun and the Daily Star on Sunday.

Villas-Boas grandmother was called Margaret Kendall from Cheadle in Greater Manchester who moved to Portugal at the turn of the 20th century to set up a wine-growing business.

Kendall's brother Douglas Kendall was a top World War II wing commander in the RAF and also according to the Star: "a pal of Prime Minister Winston Churchill who helped mastermind intelligence against the Nazis."

Villa-Boas roots have also been traced back Colonel Holman Custance who fought alongside the Duke of Wellington against Naploleon's French army during the Peninsular War of 1808-1814.

Custance was the cousin of the Chelsea boss' great-great-great-great grandfather Thomas Custance.

Villas Boas has mostly been compared to former Blues boss Jose Mourinho and Chelsea fans are hoping he can replicated 'The Special One's' successes at Stamford Bridge.

Like Mourinho , Villas-Boas had no real pedigree as a footballer but still led Porto to a domestic and European treble in his first full season.

Both did their early coaching apprenticeships under Sir Bobby Robson, and Villas-Boas even worked for Mourinho at Porto, Chelsea and Internazionale before taking the plunge as a manager with Academica Coimbra.

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